Dear Friends,
The fall semester is well underway and the Colorado State University campus is bustling with activity as students, faculty and staff alike make the shift into the 2006/2007 academic year. We are pleased to welcome our new students, and to welcome back our returning students. We hope your summer was restful and productive, and that you are off to an excellent start this semester.
We kicked off the new academic year with a wide variety of orientation and welcoming events that were all well-attended and a great way for our students, faculty and staff to get to know each other. Activities included a Breakfast Welcome for Vet Prep students, MBA/DVM orientation program, an orientation and lunch for Vet Start students, welcoming ceremony for first-year Professional Veterinary Medical students, a welcoming event for in-coming undergraduate students, the CVMBS RamWelcome for all students, and more. On August 26, all veterinary students were invited to attend VetFest, which featured a barbecue dinner, booths for student clubs and activities, volleyball, and time to socialize.
In September, many of our faculty members and some of our students will be attending the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association’s annual conference in Keystone. During the conference, I’ll be participating in a panel presentation on the future of veterinary medicine which will look at coming changes in the science of veterinary medicine, changing expectations of clients, the evolving role of the veterinary profession and organized veterinary medicine, changes ahead in veterinary education, and the economic issues surrounding veterinary medicine.
In other College news, I’d like to recognize and congratulate the research team in the Mycobacteria Research Laboratories for the $7.8 million in grants they recently received from the National Institutes of Health. Their history of excellence in the study of tuberculosis continues to set the standard for worldwide investigations into this devastating disease. We are extremely proud to this amazing group of people at Colorado State University, and especially proud that they are within our own College. (See article in this edition of E-Insight.)
I’d also like to recognize Duncan Alexander, who recently provided the final gift to fully fund the John Alexander Chair in Large Animal Reproduction. (See article in this edition of E-Insight.) The Chair is a fitting tribute to John, who was a member of the PVM Class of 2000, but died tragically in 1999. In addition, special thanks to Jon and Abby Winkelried of the Marvine Ranch near Meeker. They donated $1 million to support research in equine reproduction and orthopaedics. (See articles in this edition of E-Insight.)
In construction news, on Aug. 31 three firms presented their visions for the new Diagnostic Medical Center at the College’s south campus Veterinary Medical Center. Once we complete further review, we anticipate having a signed contract with the selected architectural firm in early September.
Again, welcome to (or welcome back to) Colorado State University and the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. I hope your September is productive and enjoyable, and look forward to seeing you soon.
Best Regards,
Lance Perryman, DVM, PhD
Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
